Amusement device.



H. HYER.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED my 13, 1912.

Lfij Tyfi Patented M21124. 1913.

2 SHEBTSSHEET a? ,k ga 4 gnucni'oz witnesses l M MM w flMQ H-. HYER. AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13. 1912.

1,054,776., Patented Mar. 4, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ii-IANS HYER 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

sesame.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that T, Hans Hrnr, a citi-- zen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amusement Devices, of which the following is a specification;

My invention-relates to, amusement devices such as are used at amusement parks, and particularly to that form thereof where a car" adaptedto contain passengers is propelled along an elevated or supported track.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved amusement device of the,class mentioned wherein a car is suspended from an elevated rail or track and propelled thereon and at the same time given a rotary motion.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

My invention consists generally in asupported rail or track, a hanger adapted to travel thereon, a car rotatably mounted upon said hanger and means for imparting rotary motion to the car.

' My invention further consists in av device as mentioned with improved means for rotatably connecting the hanger and the car.

My invention further consists in various details of construction and arrangements of parts all as will be fully described hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claim.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to. the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of an amusement device embodying. my invention, only a portion of the rail or track being shown, Fig- 2 is a similar view of a modified form" of the device, Fig. 3 is an elevation of the carupon' an enlarged scale and illustrating the track in cross section, Fig. 4 is a plan view of the same, and Fig. 5 is a detail sectional "view --upon a .much enlarged scale illustrating the manner of rotatably mountinglthe car upon the hanger.

eferrin'g now to the drawings 1 indicates the track which preferably comprises a single rail mounted -upon suitable supports2. The track may be of any desired form, that is, it may be straight or may follow a sinu-' ous course. As the form of the track in this respect'constitutes no portion of my. invention, I have not illustrated the various Specification of Letters Patent.

application filed may 1%, 1912. Elerial No. 696,830.

Patented Mar. at, 1913.

forms which maybe used in the drawings. 1 urther, the track may be undulating or inclined as illustrated in Fig. 1 when the device is to be gravity operated, or it may be horizontal as illustrated in Fig. 2 when other means than gravity are employed to propel the car.

Mounted upon the rail 1 is a traveling hanger comprising either a single wheel 3 vor a truck 4: as preferred, a suspension member5 depending therefrom, and a member 6 at the lower end thereof upon which th car is rotatably mounted. Any ordinary or suitable safety device may be employed to prevent the wheel or truck from leaving the rail. As I lay no claim to the safety de vice I do not illustrate the same in the drawing.

7 indicates the car.

The member 5 is swiveled or pivotally connected to the wheel or truck as at 8 so that the car will always maintain a vertical position irrespective of the inclination of the rail. The member fi'preferably comprises an arched portion or dome 9 constituting the roof of the car, and a horizontal annular flange 1O terminating in a peripheral vertical flange 11.

The car? comprises an annular member 12 adapted to engage the flanges l0 and 11 of the member 6, ,a plurality of vertical suspension members 13 and a cage. comprising a bottom or fioor'14, a rail'15- having a gate 16 and seats17 for the passengers. The

cage may be of any desired form but I have illustrated the preferred form in the drawings. See Fig. 3. The member 12 is of inverted U-shape in cross section to embrace the flange 11 and is provided with an inwardly extending flange 18 above the flange 10 and an outwardly extending flange 19 to which the members 13 are secured. Between the flanges 10 and 18 is arranged ball bearings 20. Secured to the outer face of the member 12 above the flange 19 is an annular rack 21, the purpose of which will appear hereinafter.

The supporting members 2 are arranged upon each side of the path of the carand secured thereto are longitudinally disposed members or beams 22 arranged at the height of the members 12. These are provided at intervals with racks 23 which engage the rack 21 and impart rotation to the car. A single rack 23 may extend the full length of the device or short racks may be arranged alternately upon opposite sides to reverse the rotation of the carat intervals.

I prefer to use an inclined rail inorder that the device shall be operated by gravity. However, if preferred, the rail may be horizontal as illustrated in Fig. 2 in which event I provide a cable 24 for propelling the car, said cable being attached to the hanger.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is I In an amusement device a supported rail,

a hanger adapted to travel thereon and comprising a wheel or truck, a suspension mem-'- ber depending therefrom, a frame fixed to the lower portion of said suspension member, a horizontal annular flange on said frame, a vertically disposed peripheral flange. at the. outer edge of said annular flange, an annular member supported 'upon said flanges and of inverted U-shape cross section to embrace said peripheral flange; ball bearings interposed between said lar flange; and a cage suspended from said annular member, and means. for imparting rotation to said annular member and cage, substantially as described.

In testimony. whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HANS HYER, Witnesses ALLEN BRYANT, GEORGE F. RUsK.

annular member and said horizontal annu- 

